Voters in Edinburgh could be heading to their local supermarket to cast their ballot in May's elections, under plans to stop using primary schools as polling stations.
Edinburgh City Council has proposed removing all remaining primary schools from its polling place register in a bid to prevent pupils' education being disrupted further following months of closures during the pandemic.
Buildings commonly used for voting such as libraries, churches and community centres have been mooted as alternatives for the 19 schools no longer being used.
However, it's emerged some voters may be able to pick up some essentials after casting their ballot at the council elections in May – as Tesco is listed as one of the new venues.
A report to councillors shows the supermarket's Corstorphine branch could be used instead of Gylemuir Primary School, but this is still to be confirmed.
Ahead of the 2021 Scottish Parliament elections, the number of schools in Edinburgh used for voting was reduced from 35 to 19.
The report noted the use of schools as polling stations last year, which required them to be closed to pupils and teachers on May 6, caused "further disruption to education following extreme disruption over the previous year due to the pandemic’s impact."
It added: "There was concern following the polls that the closure of the remaining 19 primary schools to facilitate polling was an unfortunate further disruption to education especially given the turmoil faced by pupils over the previous 14 months."
In preparation for the council elections on May 5, chief executive Andrew Kerr tasked officers with finding alternative arrangements to the 19 schools.
Many are still yet to be confirmed, however the proposed changes will be reviewed by councillors at a full meeting of Edinburgh City Council on Thursday (February 10).
The council said there will be "no opportunity" for public consultations on the plans due to "limited time scales", however added there will be some informal consultations held with ward councillors.
It added: "Any changes agreed will be the subject of a broad communications campaign ahead of the polls to ensure that voters are aware of the new polling locations. This will include the poll cards, social media work and posters at the old polling places with maps highlighting the new facilities.
"The election team have also reviewed all polling places where there were queues in May 2021, especially where these persisted at close of poll. Capacity, number of stations, layout, marshalling and signage are all being reviewed to ensure that queues are prevented in May 2022."
Furthermore, some past polling stations are under refurbishment such as Edinburgh Arts Centre and new arrangements have been made where this is the case.
The only primary school where no suitable replacement was identified was Sighthill Primary School.
The new polling places proposed for Edinburgh are:
- Queensferry Library (TBC) - Replacement for Echline Primary
- Cramond Kirk Halls (TBC) - Replacement for Cramond Primary
- GTG Edinburgh (TBC) - Replacement for Hillwood Primary
- Muirhouse Millennium Centre - Replacement for North Edinburgh Arts Centre
- Leonardo Edinburgh Murrayfield (TBC) - Replacement for Fox Covert Primary
- St Thomas' Church - Replacement for Gylemuir Primary
- Newhaven Parish Church (TBC) - Replacement for Victoria Primary
- Summerside Bowling Club (TBC)- Replacement for Trinity Primary
- The Village Hotel - Replacement for Fetlor YC
- Blackhall Library - Replacement for Blackhall Primary
- Murrayfield Parish Church Centre - Replacement for Holiday Inn City West
- BT Murrayfield (Up and Under) - Replacement for BT Murrayfield
(Crossbar) - Corstorphine Library (TBC) - Replacement for Corstorphine Astoria Centre
- Tesco Corstorphine (TBC) - Replacement for Gylemuir Primary
- Sighthill Bowling Club (TBC) - Replacement for Murrayburn Primary
- Charwood (TBC) - Replacement for Buckstone Primary
- O2 Academy Edinburgh (Newmarket Suite) - Replacement Corn Exchange Baron Suite
- Yotel Edinburgh (TBC) - Replacement for Assembly Rooms
- St Paul’s and St George’s Church (TBC) - Replacement for Café Camino
- Drivers’ Sports & Social Club (TBC) - Replacement for Broughton Nursery
- Holyrood Evangelical Church (TBC) - Replacement for Leith Walk Primary
- Leith St Andrews Church (TBC) - Replacement for Hermitage Park Primary
- The Heart (formerly Victoria Primary School building) - Replacing TBC
- Leith Dockers’ Club - Replacement for St. Mary's (Leith) R.C. Primary
- Restalrig Lochend Community Hub - Replacement for Meadowbank Church
- Liberton Rugby Club (TBC) - Replacement for St. John Vianney R.C. Primary
- Yellow Bamboo Yoga (TBC) - Replacement for St. John's R.C. Primary
- Cuddie Brae (TBC) - Replacement for Newcraighall Primary
